Now Akpan can bench press that weight 23 times. Akpan, who is 6 feet 7, also has gained more than 20 pounds since April and now weighs 273. Sixteen months after putting on a football helmet and shoulder pads for the first time, Akpan is listed as the Warriors' starting right defensive end.

"We knew he was an athlete, but now he's a football player," UH coach June Jones said. "He's worked unbelievably hard this summer. He's in the weight room at 6, 6:30, every morning."

Conditioning coach Mel deLaura added: "We told him what to do, but he was the one doing all of the work. We just watched him. Look at him now. He's built perfectly."

Last season, his first with the Warriors, Akpan focused on pass-rushing. He spent spring practice and most of this summer developing his run defense. "I'm using my keys," said Akpan, who is learning to analyze an offensive tackle. "I read his stance. If he's really low, with his hand pressing on the ground, I know he's coming at me."

He also has worked on his tackling. "I try to wrap up (the ballcarrier)," he said. "The tackle doesn't have to be spectacular. If you stop the guy, you stop the guy."

Akpan said he likens the skills used in playing defense to those used when he hunted in Nigeria, where he was raised. "Being a hunter is not all about muscle," he said. "It's looking for the weakness."

He said he has successfully hunted chickens, goats, cows, buffaloes, bulls and, once, teamed with several other youths to kill a lion. Because he used hand-held or short-range weapons — bows and arrows, spears or machetes — "you have to be quiet. You have to be sly about it."

Hunting, he said, also helped develop humility.

"I was always taught to kill to eat," he said. "You kill, then you say your prayers, your thanks to God. I kill to feed myself and my family. We eat everything. Nothing is wasted. God gave us everything."

Moenoa, Ilaoa expected to begin practice soon

Jones said Uriah Moenoa, a fifth-year senior projected to start at right guard, is not expected to practice until next week. Moenoa is suffering from a strained left knee.

Right slotback Nate Ilaoa, who suffered a subluxed right shoulder this week, did not practice yesterday, the fourth day of training camp. Jones said he expects Ilaoa to return soon.

Ilaoa, who ballooned to 240 pounds while recovering from a knee ligament injury, is down to 225.

"He needs to really cut down on the palusami, then I think he'll be OK," receivers coach Ron Lee said.

Poumele comes clean after recent haircut

Se'e Poumele, a fifth-year senior who is listed ahead of Ilaoa at right slotback, has decided to open the season with a clean pate.

Known for long hair that reached the middle of his back, Poumele is sporting the bald look in training camp.

"I got tired of having long hair," he said. "It's been two years since I cut it. I figured, it's a new season, let's go with a new look."

Running back Michael Bass, who served as Poumele's stylist, recalled suggesting: "If you're going to cut it, you've got to cut it all off."

Poumele said: "It feels good, and I don't have to worry about always unplugging the drain in my shower."

Sauafea leaves offense to try defensive tackle

Larry Sauafea, a second-year freshman from Samoa, said it was an easy decision to move from the offensive line to defensive tackle. The Warriors are overbooked on the offensive line but have a shortage of defensive tackles.

"I think he can play offensive line, but we've got some young players at his position," Jones said. "I asked him to get a feel for defensive tackle. He might get on the field faster over there. On the offensive line, we don't rotate guys. On defense, we rotate guys all of the time."

Sauafea is practicing at right defensive tackle, backing up Matt Faga.

"I still have a lot to learn," he said.